India-EU: maritime security cooperation

With common objectives in the Indo-Pacific, the maritime sphere is a good opportunity for India and the EU to deepen cooperation. They must focus on preventing outbreak of an inter-state armed conflict; addressing maritime piracy; adhering to the UNCLOS; and developing maritime infrastructure and the blue economy in the region

As part of the ‘EU-India Think Tank Twinning Initiative 2016’, Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, Mumbai, partnered with Istituto Affari Internazionali, Rome, on a series of papers, titled “Moving forward the EU-India Security Dialogue: Traditional and Emerging Issues.” The following commentary is in response to the paper by Nicola Casarini on ‘Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation from the South China Sea and Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean: Potential and Limits of EU-India Cooperation’.

The topic had four sub-themes:

India-EU maritime security and freedom of navigation from the South China Sea and Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean;
India-EU defence cooperation: the role of industry;
Potential and challenges of India-EU space cooperation;
India-EU cooperation on cyber security and data protection.

For more details on the project please click here.

This commentary on India-EU maritime cooperation is part of this project and has been authored by Gateway House research team led by Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, Distinguished Fellow, International Security and Maritime Studies. The commentary analyses the flash points in the Indo-Pacific, India’s maritime perspective, implications of China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ and areas in which India and the EU can forge cooperation.

Read the original paper from Istituto Affari Internazionali, Rome, here.

You can download the PDF version of this commentary, here.

Vice Admiral Anil Chopra is Distinguished Fellow, International Security and Maritime Studies, Gateway House. He was the former Commander- in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, the Eastern Naval Command, and former Chief of the Indian Coast Guard.

This commentary was exclusively written for Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations. You can read more exclusive content here.

For interview requests with the author, or for permission to republish, please contact outreach@gatewayhouse.in.